Tuesday, September 28, 2010

East Bound and Down

Day 24 Eunice, La. To Hammond, La. 125 miles, 8hrs. 13 min. Avg. Spd. 15.2, Total miles 2076.

Yes, you read it right, a new PR 125 miles. Sometimes you just get going and you keep going. The wind was out of the North this morning and then turned out of the NNW. That's in my favor. Mark and I left Eunice at 7:15AM,
It was cool and sunny and a great day for riding.
The pines of yesterday gave way to fields of sugarcane today. We crossed bridges 4 and 5 miles long, with no shoulders. Mark developed a new strategy, get behind me with the hazard lights on and everybody else can go around. I kind of liked it.
The last 20 miles into Hammond La. on La. 190 was absolutely no shoulder. We rolled in about 4:15 PM.

I was talking to Amy last night and she said she entered me in the Liz Hurley benefit run on Team Christina. I said look, I'm riding my bike 3000 miles across America and you want me to run 3 miles as well, C'mon! Man! Ok, I'll do it. All of you better be out there too.

I got a call from David Olivet today, how awesome is that? Another voice from the past checking in because of the blog. We're going to try and hook up in Pensacola.

Hey listen, after today and the last couple of weeks I understand the principle of time. How do you ride 125 miles? You stay in the saddle until your bum falls off. How do you build a pyramid or a great wall? You do it over time. How do you learn to carve, or paint, or play the piano? You give it time, everyday. What have you always wanted to learn to do? You just need to start and give it time. You have your whole life in front of you, I don't care how old you are. Get out there and do something.

Today's pics:










Early morning, Eunice, La..









Cousin Eddie? "that there's an RV Clark."








Honey, what do you think about a tree in the house? Ok, how about trees all over in the house?








Did you know they bury people above ground in Louisiana?








Another day, another semi.






In Louisiana casinos are everywhere.






All bikers? Like, bicyclist's? MARK..... LUNCH!








Up.








Up.








And away.









Oh look, here I come.








5 mile bridge, no shoulder, Mark, hazards on.








You will never know how much debris is on the shoulder of the highway until you ride about 2000 miles on a bike.








Really, in Louisiana? C'mon man.








Do you think we should?








Sure, I've got my hazard lights on.








Exxon, Mobil refinery in Baton Rouge.








Downtown, Baton Rouge.








Baton Rouge traffic.








What's a day without a picture of the steed. Ahhhhhh, McCafe steed.





No shoulder, no problem, just turn on the hazards, oh wait, I don't have hazards.




Mark's a pharmacist. He apparently was killing time. I did lose him twice today.






The pool was open and we hung our shorts outside, Louisiana, rednecks.

I always seem to get a song stuck in my head that plays over and over all day long. Today's songs Jerry Reed, "East Bound and Down" and Michael Jackson, "Smooth Criminal." That's an interesting contradiction, go figure.
Annie, are you okay,
Are you okay Annie.
Lincoln

Location:Hammond, La.

15 comments:

  1. Honey, try to keep up. You're in a car, he's on a bike. I mean, really?

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  2. Amazing day!! 125 miles!! You will be finished with LA tomorrow and then on to state # 6!! The long bridges in LA are famous - good plan to use Mark with the flashers - hope he can keep up tomorrow!! Mississippi - here you come!!

    Looking forward to the Liz Hurley! See you there. :)

    Be blessed - prayers are continuing by so many.

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  3. Wow! A 125 mile day, that’s hammer down allright! It doesn’t sound like you slowed down much even in Baton Rouge, very impressive. Must have something to do with the high octane Cajun cookin’. I’m guessing there was a respectable stack of crawfish for dinner. But at this rate, Louisiana is going to be in the rear view mirror by noon Wednesday (if you have a rear view mirror).
    The pics are great as usual, keep blazing and blogging and be Blessed in Bayou country.

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  4. 125!!!!!!!!! Even I'm impressed. Way to go Lance Lincoln!

    LMB (Bun's Dad)

    P.S. When the traffic gets crazy, talk to/about the drivers --- believe me, it helps!

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  5. CONGRATULATIONS on 2000 miles! I thought of some songs to commemorate this occasion:

    First, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by the Proclaimers. Hopefully this will get stuck in yours and Mark's head all day tomorrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd1IfDN6VKY

    Second is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton. I figure this may not be your favorite genre so I'll spare you the link.

    Finally, after some googling I found the The Pretenders wrote a song titled "2000 Miles" (who knew?) which I will leave you with the profound first three lines:
    "He's gone,
    2000 miles,
    is very far."

    Godspeed Lincoln!

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  6. Now, come on! I suggested the flashers all the way back in El Paso,TX! You scolded me then; saying it made you and everyone else nervous. I am getting the impression that you are starting relax your standards as the miles tick by. Of course, flasher could have attracked more border patrol in West TX. Everything is a trade-off.

    Bunny does make a good point about the Lance thing, typical Tour de France day is around 125 miles. That could be your next goal!

    Looks like you are going to make Gulf Shores before we get there Saturday. I was hoping for a day to ride with you, but you have got the steamer rolling now. You are so close to home that I bet Mark can see the enthusiasm in your pedals. Man you have come a long way brother! Love ya man. Still praying for you.

    In defense of Mark, it can be hard to keep track of the flash pedaller. He has his own doppler effect. And the steed's sleak profile can be hard to find against a big blue sky (because the steed is sky blue).

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  7. two things...
    YOU ARE SOOOOO CLOSE!!!!!!!
    You are totally going to have way better collarbones than me!

    Keep riding strong!!!

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  8. Hope we are going to get to see you Friday! I know you are ready to be home...and we are ready for you to be home, too. Miss you! Safe riding, tailwinds...and perhaps a new song!?!

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  9. 125 miles is AWESOME!!

    Love LA! My grandparents live in Jennings which was just south of you directly on I10. Too bad you didn't take I10 instead. She could have filled you up with all of the cajun food you can eat, gumbo, dirty rice, crawfish etouffee, and chicken fricase. Yum! Makes me homesick just thinking about it! But 190 traffic wise was WAY better I'm sure. Plus those 5 mile bridges are nothing like the 20 mile I10 bridge over the Atchafalaya swamp, never-ending and no shoulder.

    Glad it was a good day and you'll be BAMA bound in no time!!
    Praying for you and your family,
    Stacie Flinn

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  10. I've not met Ed Sparks but perhaps I should. Our thought processes seem similar. Anyway, since he is apparently still crunching the numbers, I thought I'd throw out a calculation to tide everyone over until he's done.

    If you go to www.wolframalpha.com (a "computational knowledge engine", not a search engine...) and enter "15.2 mph in furlongs per fortnight", wonderfulness ensues. You get the answer (40,860 of course) and lots of more "accessible" data.
    15.2 mph is:
    22.29 ft/s (feet per second)
    407.7 m/min (meters per minute)
    3.9 min/mi (minutes per mile)
    and my personal favorite: 0.02 mach

    Ed, back to you.

    Keep crankin' Mr. Smith. We're all rootin' for you.

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  11. Dude, you're a machine, 125 miles!? You're doing awesome, keep it up...

    I tried to comment yesterday about all the food talk, but apparently I'm not computer savvy enough. My comment was going to be that you were going to be able to indulge yourself in a mounding plate of blackened grouper at the Shrimp Basket in Gulf Shores on all-you-can-eat Thursdays. But apparently I was selling you short, because now it looks like you'll be in Pensacola by Thursday, and indulging in a much more vast array of all-you-can-eat possibilities at Fred's(and in your last state).

    Keep going man, you're on the home stretch and doing great!!

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  12. I am so impressed I am speechless, and getting more and more jealous with each blog. I will have to spend as many sundays going forward as you have spent riding if this keeps up.

    Now how to get my company to give me a sabbatical????

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  13. Consider a man riding a bicycle. Whoever he is, we can say three things about him. We know he got on the bicycle and started to move. We know that at some point he will stop and get off. Most important of all, we know that if at any point between the beginning and the end of his journey he stops moving and does not get off the bicycle he will fall off it. That is a metaphor for the journey through life of any living thing, and I think of any society of living things.
    William Golding

    I think this quote goes well with your "Get out there and do something" message. I've registered for Team Cristina too. Trying to get out there and do something myself!

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  14. 125 miles I get tired doing that distance in a car it would kill me on a bike. be careful your friend fro

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  15. Lincoln, I am very excited for you. You are near the end and I have truely enjoyed following your journey across the Southern states and reading the blogs of many supporters as they incourage and pray for your strength and your safety. God bless you! (Jodie Baker Kimbel, Jamie's mother)

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